Sound Politics has now posted a limited beta version online voter database.
This quote was the final motivation for me to put some of the voter data online --
King County elections czar Dean Logan:
“Both state and federal laws make it very clear that access to voter registration and voting is the paramount duty of election administrators. Safeguarding the legitimacy and maintaining the accuracy of those records is a shared responsibility between government and the electorate.”Since Dean Logan apparently doesn't think it's his job to try very hard to prevent ineligible people from voting, and that such task is the duty of the electorate, it would be nice if he could at least give every registered voter the appropriate tools so we can do his job for him: a CD with the voter database (including birthdays), an up-to-date copy of the state felon list, unrestricted access to the vital records morgue file and to the Social Security Administration and INS databases, etc.
Short of all that, what can the huddled masses of disenfranchised electors who are yearning to breathe free do to regain their former franchise? Not all that much. But here's a start.
Sound Politics now offers a limited online version of the Washington voter database (starting with King and Snohomish counties, more counties to be added soon). Now you can query your near neighborhood to look for any unknown people registered at your own address, dead people, long-gone former residents, non-existent buildings, incarcerated neer-do-wells who used to live next door, illegal immigrant voters, etc.
The voter database is public information, but it cannot be used for the purpose of sending commercial solicitations. In order to avoid the potential for improper use of the data, while facilitating the public's right to uncover illegal voting, I've created a limited facility to query the database. Specifically, you can find out the names and partial addresses of everybody who voted by street block (e.g. the 3200 block of Hunter Blvd S). We don't publish complete addresses, so it's not possible to do an open-ended fishing expedition and obtain a lot of mailing addresses. But I'm hoping it might be useful for people who know their neighborhood to do some due diligence.
Click here for the voter database. If you find anything incriminating, let us know.
I don't promise perfection or customer service, but I'd like to make the database more useful and easy to use over time. Check it out and send me your comments and suggestions.
Posted by Stefan Sharkansky at January 25, 2005 10:48 AM | Email ThisJames
Posted by: James Schandle on January 25, 2005 11:12 AMJames
Posted by: James D. Schandel on January 25, 2005 11:25 AMAnd now for another general comment: this is one of the best ideas ever. Stefan, you've outdone yourself.
Posted by: Timothy on January 25, 2005 11:31 AMWhen I enter my street name the voter database says "Error. You must enter a street name" Tried it a couple of times, help?
Extra curious because I got a new voter card for a guy that hasn't lived here for several years.
Posted by: Tinwhistler on January 25, 2005 12:02 PMWifey had requested absentee ballot. Didn't arrive - though mine did. So on election night she went to our local polling place & voted successfully.
Doing a search today, I see my absentee ballot was counted. *She's doesn't appear at all in the database.*
What a crock.
Posted by: Rob on January 25, 2005 12:03 PMAre we just not on the database, or because it's a predominantly Republican neighborhood, did our votes get tossed into the circular file?
Even more disturbing, I didn't have to show photo ID when I signed the register. No one cared if I was really me.
I'm kind of concerned - where do I go with this? I want to see if my vote counted.
Posted by: Manderson on January 25, 2005 12:22 PMAre we just not on the database, or because it's a predominantly Republican neighborhood, did our votes get tossed into the circular file?
Even more disturbing, I didn't have to show photo ID when I signed the register. No one cared if I was really me.
I'm kind of concerned - where do I go with this? I want to see if my vote counted.
Posted by: Manderson on January 25, 2005 12:22 PMLet me know when/if Thurston County will be available. I know of a specific person in my county that was sent two absentee ballots. I'd like to see if she voted only once as well as check some other info.
Posted by: Orange Robyn on January 25, 2005 12:49 PMDEAN MICHAEL 260e 2ND AVE SEATTLE Poll
DEAN MICHAEL T 260e 2ND AVE SEATTLE Abs
2600
Posted by: Big Al on January 25, 2005 01:02 PMLUNDHEIM NICOLE M 284e EASTLAKE AVE E Abs
LUNDHEIN MELISSA A 284e EASTLAKE AVE E Abs
Since the election department will likely err on the side of caution in removing registered voters, typos like the one above will cause several problems - or problems like reregistering with a middle initial, a new last name, etc. The larger problem appears to be with the people in charge of entering this data. I know that in a large database small errors will occur, but we should continue to demand perfection.
Posted by: middleoftheroader on January 25, 2005 01:51 PMI entered "212th ave ne" and 4300 - got eight families. You, Michael, and Rebecca are listed as voting absentee.
Posted by: srogers on January 25, 2005 02:00 PMI'll tweak this when I get a chance.
Posted by: Stefan Sharkansky on January 25, 2005 02:34 PMDid I forget to say, "thank you?"
Logan wants to blame the victim.
Posted by: South County on January 25, 2005 02:42 PMMike Siegel mentioned this morning (sans the word Jester) what I placed on
this site a few days ago:
"Combine the May 2004 memo from Jester County (my new nickname for King
County)....claiming they have no way to fully stop folks from walking
straight up to the ballot box and inserting said ballots, with the mailing
of duplicates ballots; I would say jester county not only displayed willful
negligence, it also tossed chum to moveon.org and other passionate GOP
hating, juvenile, law breakers to stuff the box.
Posted by MB at January 23, 2005 03:53 PM"
Thank you Mike...keep up the great work!
Now, I'd like to add to Pam Roach's call for a re-registering of every WA
voter.
There should be a unique, never recycled, voter registration ID assigned to
every voter. This ID (similar to an employee ID) should be in every key DB
(felons, dead, etc.) so the state/counties can clean up and maintain an
accurate list of legal voters.
This just in: Poor information-sharing both inside and outside government is threatening homeland security, congressional investigators said Tuesday.
It also threatens the fairness of elections.
Posted by: MB on January 25, 2005 02:47 PMI looked up my private mail box address, a block in which there shouldn't be any residences, and came up with four names. Is that of any interest?
(For address like "Redmond Way", I had to include a "NE" prefix to get it to work. I guess that's right, but in all the years I've lived here, that's the first time I've had to use it.)
And along comes this tool.
Suddenly, it's three AM and the computer is just sitting there waiting for a few clicks...
Now we have the Distribution of Distributed Vote Fraud Detection.
Thanks, Stefan.
Scott158 (not that Scott)
Posted by: scott158 on January 25, 2005 03:08 PMI didn't see any follow up information about the identity of the "very prominent citizen" who illegally voted, as you mentioned in the "Residence, Schmesidence" posting December 30... and I have remained curious.
With this new tool I was able to identify the culprit. If you haven't done so elsewhere (a search of the blog using their last name doesn't come up with anything), do you feel there is some problem with posting that identify here?
Or, would you like to take credit yourself - if so, that's fine with me - you obviously deserve the "scoop" for having pointed this out.
Posted by: Regret on January 25, 2005 03:26 PMYou may have already done this, but I went to King County's sex offender site to compare records. A quick search of zip 98121 and using the voter database found several matches.
Maybe we allow child molesters and rapists to vote- I don't know???
Posted by: Big Al on January 25, 2005 03:39 PMI'll be in this thing all evening!
Sorry - I forgot that this isn't Dean Logan's job.
Posted by: Janet S on January 25, 2005 04:10 PMPETRICH DOUGLAS J 91e 164TH ST SE MILL CREEK Abs
STANYO DARCY G 91e 164TH ST SE MILL CREEK P
POMFRET JOHN D 212o 1ST AVE SEATTLE Abs
POMFRET JOHN E 212o 1ST AVE SEATTLE Abs
They're blatantly yanking the rug out from under you, will rig the court case, and when all's said and down, you're going to....
....put an orange ribbon on your car bumper.
News Flash: The tyrants can live with your dissaproval, as long as paying your effing taxes like good little serfs.
Posted by: Mike Schneider on January 25, 2005 06:09 PMStefan, you've outdone yourself here, and should be recognized for your diligent efforts. I am sure that some knucklehead will eventually try to compare you to the Stasi on the basis of having neighbors checking on neighbors, but ignore the drivel when it comes.
This is indeed a valuable tool, and a model for what Sam Reed should have had in place as a part of his job. Though your efforts, you have effectively perservered and created a tool of accountability. Stefan, may I ask you to accept the possibility of running for Secretary of State? Please? Sam's out. The Vance candidate from Tacoma was a joke. You have the knowledge, experience, background, and outlook necessary for the job, and I, for one would support it!
Thank you for being a good CITIZEN, Stefan, and to all the others who are taking the time and making the effort to bolster their efforts to be a better citizen through you. You are an inspiration.
Regards,
Steve
Posted by: Patches Pal (live from AK) on January 25, 2005 06:58 PMThis guy lives at Mailboxes of Kent!..(Or one of the other 5 businesses in this small strip mall....) There are no residences in the 10600 block of SE 240th st, Kent....
Posted by: Deborah on January 25, 2005 07:34 PMHey!
These people live at the UPS Store in Burien!!
There are no residences in the 100 block (or the 200, 300, 400 blocks) of SW 148th St in Burien...
Posted by: Deborah on January 25, 2005 07:55 PM
This guy also lives at a UPS store!
I had no idea that UPS offered housing!.....
Most UPS stores are located in strip malls that are ZONED for BUSINESS ONLY. The examples I have listed are absolutely NOT residences..
I think a quick check of UPS addresses will show that many people use them for voter registration....
Posted by: Deborah on January 25, 2005 08:02 PMYou go girl!
(I have visions of you sitting at the computer, digusted look on your face saying, "I CAN'T believe this! Then putting in the next address.)
Patches?.......You're scaring me...man.....
I had to look over my shoulder just to be sure........(snicker)....
Actually, I was trying to think of other mail box services and storage facilities - (where there are no residences...) to check on...
I have a personal Postal worker to help me...remember?
Posted by: Deborah on January 25, 2005 08:40 PMThese people live at the Auburn Mail and Copy Center.....
(By the way - I have cross checked the names with the residential listings..and there are none for any of them...)
Posted by: Deborah on January 25, 2005 09:08 PMThese two live at the E-Z Check Cash....(pssst...E-Z also rents mailboxes..)
-------------------------------------------------
BROWN CAROL S 3121o PACIFIC HWY S FEDERAL WAY Abs
COLBETH LEONA M 3121o PACIFIC HWY S FEDERAL WAY Abs
FULLER PATRICK A 3121o PACIFIC HWY S FEDERAL WAY Abs
GOLDEN JASON M 3121o PACIFIC HWY S FEDERAL WAY Abs
KILGORE ARNOLD C 3121o PACIFIC HWY S FEDERAL WAY Abs
KILGORE CATHERINE B 3121o PACIFIC HWY S FEDERAL WAY Abs
LASALLE BETTY 3121o PACIFIC HWY S FEDERAL WAY Poll
MORRISON JEREMY A 3121o PACIFIC HWY S FEDERAL WAY Abs
PEETE NAOMI 3121o PACIFIC HWY S FEDERAL WAY Poll
RALSTIN ROBIN E 3121o PACIFIC HWY S FEDERAL WAY Abs
SMITH DOUGLAS G 3121o PACIFIC HWY S FEDERAL WAY Abs
SMITH LILLIE D 3121o PACIFIC HWY S FEDERAL WAY Abs
This long list of people live at the Federal Way Mail Center!!
--------------------------------------------------
BUCE BARBARA J 23o SW 153RD ST BURIEN Abs
GAMBRIELL VERN 23o SW 153RD ST BURIEN Abs
BEAL GEORGE J 24o SW 153RD ST BURIEN Prov
BEAL TAMI R 24o SW 153RD ST BURIEN Prov
These people have listed business addresses as their residences....
Note the 2 provisional voters.......hmmmm...
What's the exact law on this? Is it illegal to use a post office box or other mailbox as one's address when registering? Or is it only illegal to register at both one's residence and a separate address? Also, if a person votes absentee using one of these post office box addresses, is the vote invalidated?
It looks like we'd find far more than 129 post office box registrations easily.
Posted by: Shannon K on January 25, 2005 09:34 PMLive at Mail Services and More.....
--------------------------------------------------
HACKETT ANGELA L 180e A ST SE AUBURN Abs
HANSEN ERIC E 180e A ST SE AUBURN Abs
HANSEN JOAN E 180e A ST SE AUBURN Abs
NEWCOMER DALE N 180e A ST SE AUBURN Abs
NEWCOMER JENNIE M 180e A ST SE AUBURN Abs
REID CHRISTOPHER J 180e A ST SE AUBURN Abs
REID JILLYN G 180e A ST SE AUBURN Abs
REID MARTIN 180e A ST SE AUBURN Abs
Stor-More Self storage and Private Mailboxes for those listed above..
------------------------------------------------
I guess now would be the time to get clarification...... Is using a Mail Box rental for voter registration illegal? Hehe...I'm finding so many - I'd hate to list more and find out it wasn't against state, county laws....
Can someone tell me if this is against voter registration rules,laws?
Posted by: Deborah on January 25, 2005 09:37 PM
It would be interesting to see if any of these people are listed as duplicates in the King County name list. I have also heard of people coming from other states and Canada and voting.... This would be the way to do it! Just register your address from a mailbox rental!
Who's going to know?
Posted by: Deborah on January 25, 2005 10:24 PMI wonder how many of the double-votes represent one real voter and one fake voter (whom the real voter doesn't know about)? And I wonder whose vote gets counted?
Thinking about it, my remark about how every illegitimate voter disenfranchises a real voter may not be quite accurate; some fake voters may disenfranchise two real voters.
Posted by: supercat on January 25, 2005 10:41 PMI agree.
But for now - I'd like to know what the law states as far as voter registration and addresses..
I know I posted a site that dealt with homeless voters.. I've seen the list of address requirements for voter registration posted in here several times...
I guess I'll do a search..
As used in this chapter: "Information required for voter registration" means the minimum information provided on a voter registration application that is required by the county auditor in order to place a voter registration applicant on the voter registration rolls. This information includes the applicant's name, complete residence address, date of birth, and a signature attesting to the truth of the information provided on the application. All other information supplied is ancillary and not to be used as grounds for not registering an applicant to vote.
Looks to me, folks, like you have to reside at the address, according to the code
WAC 434-324-115 Challenge of voter's registration.All county auditors shall maintain a supply of, and furnish to the public on request, forms substantially similar to the sample included below for the purpose of allowing a registered voter to challenge the registration of another voter pursuant to RCW 29A.08.830. A copy of the form shall be sent to the voter, whose voter registration has been challenged and to the challenger pursuant to RCW 29A.08.840. The form shall be substantially similar to the following:
VOTER'S REGISTRATION CHALLENGE FORM
TO PROPERLY EXECUTE THIS FORM IT IS NECESSARY TO CHECK THE APPROPRIATE SQUARE BELOW. A SUMMARY OF THE ADMINISTRATIVE PROCEDURES WHICH WILL BE FOLLOWED WITH RESPECT TO THIS VOTER REGISTRATION CHALLENGE MAY BE FOUND ON THE REVERSE SIDE OF THIS FORM.
REASON FOR CHALLENGE
The individual challenged is not a U.S. Citizen
The individual challenged is not at least 18 years old
The individual challenged is currently being denied his or her civil rights
The individual challenged does not reside at the address at which he or she is registered and his or her actual residence is as follows:
. . . . . . . . . . . .
Note: State law (RCW 29A.08.830) requires that challenging party must provide the address at which the challenged party resides in order for a challenge based on residence to be considered.
PROVISIONS RELATING TO VOTING RESIDENCE
(1) While employed in the civil or military service of the state or of the United States;
(2) While engaged in the navigation of the waters of this state or the United States or the high seas;
(3) While a student at any institution of learning;
(4) While confined in any public prison.
Absence from the state on business shall not affect the question of residence of any person unless the right to vote has been claimed or exercised elsewhere.
[2003 c 111 § 126; 1971 ex.s. c 178 § 1; 1965 c 9 § 29.01.140. Prior: 1955 c 181 § 1; prior: (i) Code 1881 § 3051; 1865 p 25 § 2; RRS § 5110. (ii) Code 1881 § 3053; 1866 p 8 § 11; 1865 p 25 § 4; RRS § 5111. Formerly RCW 29.01.140.]
NOTES:
I found this....but what's up with the rules of challenge in Patches post? If someone comes from Canada and uses a rental mailbox address in Kent to vote in our elections....One must first get his true address in order to challenge him in court?
Am I reading this right?
Posted by: Deborah on January 25, 2005 11:18 PMHey, let's ask the most recent Attorney General for an opinon! :)
I found a couple of other cites that show that auditors are responsible for ensuring complete valid addresses are provided at the time of registry. I am confident, based on this information, that they are not doing this. Not even sure what standard of proof would qualify. Utility bill wouldn't cut it. Guess the closest would be to match the registration address with the drivers license address, but whatllyabet that those are the same addresses on the DLs for those folks.
Yet, despite that, a challenger has to hunt down a valid address for the person registered to do a challenge.
Guess we need to contact legislators to ensure they get a bill passed that makes it illegal to use a mail center address as a voter registration address. Could cut challenges, time to investigate, and the voter rolls a bit.
Don't want to make it too hard though, for the exceptions would be valid reasons to put a registration address at a place a person does not reside.
Ideas?
Posted by: Patches Pal on January 25, 2005 11:30 PMhttp://www.metrokc.gov/elections/register.htm
What if the person doesn't exist, or is dead? I suppose if you have the cemetery address, you could use that in filing a challenge, but suppose a dead person is registered at their cemetery address? Would there be any basis for challenging such a registration?
Posted by: supercat on January 25, 2005 11:34 PMLooks like Stefan and the gand at SP already looked into this residence problem...
www.soundpolitics.com/archives/003330.html
Here's snippet from that thread...
[snippet]Huennekens claims that they can't know about all of the addresses that are private mail box services, but that they will and have rejected registrants who use the label PMB in their residence address. They have also tried to "clean up" such registrations by contacting the voters and requesting a valid address. (In fact, private mailbox services are regulated by the USPS, so a list must exist somewhere. Also, I see several current registrations where PMB is used in the "apartment number", among them very recent registrations and people who actually voted this election).
Huennekens also said that even if his office does find people who are registered at illegal addresses, he has no statutory authority to simply cancel their registrations, which is governed by RCW 29A.08 510,515,520.
The burden falls on the county prosecutor and on the legitimately registered voters to challenge the registrations of alleged illegally registered voters. In some cases, an improper registration can be grounds for a felony conviction.
As Bob Williams of the Evergreen Freedom Foundation e-mailed me yesterday regarding the residence issue:
Looks like you uncovered a big mess.
I think we have. It would interesting if the path to overturning this election is to prosecute dozens of people for registering to vote at illegal addresses. What are the Democrats going to do to protect governor-pretend Fraudoire's claim on the governorship? Supply lawyers to defend the rights of unknown people to vote at fictitious addresses? Intriguingly, one of the people in King County who has registered and voted at an illegal address is a very prominent citizen for whom a felony conviction (or even an investigation) for fraudulent voter registration could end their career. This is someone I think a lot of Democrats would feel bad about losing if they end up being sacrificed in this tsunami of illegitimate voting.[/snippet]
What reason is there for believing that all of the people registering at fictitious addresses gave their real names? It seems to me that a great many of the people accused of fictitious registrations or of double-voting may in fact be innocent--someone used their name to create a bogus registration without their knowledge.
The only way I can see realistically to deal with this problem would be to flag phony registrations in the polling place books, and have a cop present at each polling place to photograph and fingerprint people who try to vote under fictitious registrations.
Posted by: supercat on January 26, 2005 12:02 AM
"Frequently asked Questions about Residency and Voting Rights
To be eligible to register to vote in Washington, you must be a resident of the state. The term residence is used differently for a variety of legal situations. For example, residency for tuition at a state college is defined by statutes dealing with state institutions of higher learning. Residency for unemployment benefit eligibility or financial assistance is defined by statutes dealing with those topics. Similarly, residency is defined for the purposes of voting in the State Constitution and in the laws and regulations related to voting.
The Washington State Constitution states the following qualifications for voters, “All persons of the age of eighteen years or over who are citizens of the United States and who have lived in the state, county and precinct thirty days immediately preceding the election at which they offer to vote…”(Art. VI sec. 1) . RCW 29.01.140 defines residence for the purpose of registering and voting as a person’s address where he physically resides and maintains his abode.
What does residence mean for purposes of voter registration and voting?
When applied to voter registration, the term residence usually means the place where you physically maintain your home and where you spend the majority of your time. You must have a residence. Once that residence is established, it exists until a new residence is established. You may not have more than one residence.
Posted by: Deborah on January 26, 2005 12:17 AMYeah! And we can taser them too! (snicker...)
Right now the elections contest only has to show that there were so many irregularities in the election - that combined - those irregularities affected the outcome...
I think showing hundreds of voters who used mailbox addresses - will weigh in favorably for the Republicans in this contest.
Posted by: Deborah on January 26, 2005 12:26 AMHave you come across anything about MAILING addresses, if different than residence?
All voter information should be mailed to the residence, as a safeguard against double voting AND fraudulent registration.
For example, suppose someone register John Doe as living at my address, but uses a mail center as his mailing address. Since the confirmation card wouldn't come to my home there is no way for me to know that someone used my address. Then he can request an absentee ballot, again without my knowledge.
Posted by: JeanneB on January 26, 2005 05:36 AMYou might check the names at non-residence's to see if they are registered else where. Waiting until Stefan has more counties would be good.
Posted by: Doug on January 26, 2005 06:58 AMWhen applied to voter registration, the term residence usually means the place where you physically maintain your home and where you spend the majority of your time. You must have a residence. Once that residence is established, it exists until a new residence is established. You may not have more than one residence.
According to this that means all the homeless are not legally registered to vote. Plus you wouldn't be able to contest this because they have no new current address? So how do the DEMS explain that. I agree the homeless should be able to vote but the is the law. Change the law or uphold it.
James
Posted by: James D. Schandel on January 26, 2005 07:32 AM
Interesting... Can't find them in the phone book...
KING COUNTY PROPERTY TAX RECORDS by Address
http://www5.metrokc.gov/parcelviewer/Viewer/KingCounty/Viewer.asp?App=Parcels&SearchFor=Addstart
You do not enter house number, directionals or suffixes. For instance, 43e - SW 316th ST.
In the property tax file you simply enter "316th" and up pops a numerical list of all properties for each 316th...SW, SE, Street, Ave, etc. Scroll down to look for the number on Stefan's list by process of elimination. Then you can click on the parcel number and see who owns the property.
Not foolproof, but another tool.
Posted by: JeanneB on January 26, 2005 07:48 AMCan't find any of these in the phone book either...
Can't find any of these in the phone book either...